Amherst Town Councillor Terry Rhindress (left) donates $5.00 to the Salvation Army's 2013 Christmas Kettle Campaign that kicked off Saturday at Amherst Centre Mall. Also pictured at right is Salvation Army captain Chad Ingram. The campaign officially gets under way Monday, November 18. Excluding Sundays, it will run up to and including Christmas Eve. Forty-thousand dollars is th goal of the Salvation Army's Cumberland chapter, the same amount it raised last year.

AMHERST-A nationwide slowdown in the economy hasn’t affected Captain Chad Ingram’s belief that the Cumberland County chapter of the Salvation Army can reach $40,000 in donations from its Christmas Kettle Campaign again this year.

“Because of the economy, the Christmas Kettle Campaign was down across Canada last year,” said Ingram. “Some of the Salvation Army branches in Ontario missed their goals while we held up our end last year,” he added. “When we raised upwards of $40,000 last year, it was one of the best seasons we had since I’ve been involved,” stated Ingram, who has been a captain with the Salvation Army for the past decade. “The money we raise from it fuels all of the Cumberland County activities that we engage, from food banks, to soup kitchens, and client assistance.”

The type of client assistance than the Salvation Army provides ranges from back to school supplies and steel toed boots to home heating, notwithstanding Wise Choices, a once-a-month healthy produce voucher open to low income families.

“We’re going to stay with our goal of $40,000 again this year,” said Ingram. “We will try to adjust, make it work, in spite of the economy. We can reduce to better stay within our means. Our Thrift Stores fuel our expenses,” he added.

Excluding Sundays, the Salvation Army’s Christmas Kettle Campaign will run up to and including Christmas Eve at Amherst Centre Mall, Amherst Walmart, Amherst Superstore, Springhill Food Land and the Springhill NSLC outlet, as well as one in Pugwash, for at least part of the 2013 Christmas season. It officially kicks off on Monday, November 18 at most the aforementioned businesses and locations.

Joining Ingram at Amherst Centre Mall on Saturday were Amherst Town Councillors Lisa Emery (Deputy Mayor), David March and Terry Rhindress. Representing Amherst Centre Mall was the manager of Charm Diamond Centre.

In spite of the enormous commitment of time that the annual Christmas Kettle Campaign will take between now and Christmas Eve, the Salvation Army is in the planning stages of a big project, the details of which should be announced shortly.

Amherst Town Councillor Terry Rhindress (left) donates $5.00 to the Salvation Army's 2013 Christmas Kettle Campaign that kicked off Saturday at Amherst Centre Mall. Also pictured at right is Salvation Army captain Chad Ingram. The campaign officially gets under way Monday, November 18. Excluding Sundays, it will run up to and including Christmas Eve. Forty-thousand dollars is th goal of the Salvation Army's Cumberland chapter, the same amount it raised last year.